Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Prepping for Baby #2: To Do List

Last week, I wrote a pregnancy update, and it reminded me that we're now in the home stretch of this whole maternity business (as if my ever expanding belly would allow me to forget). It seems a little crazy that in a mere 3 months (or less??!?!) we're going to have a brand new baby.

Crazier? I've done...ummm...practically nothing to prepare. Last time I was stressed and wanted everything 100% tied up at like, the 2 month mark. Now I'm all laissez-faire about it (that's french for SO LAZY) and haven't done a thing. Ok. Not entirely true. But it seems like I was much further along in the prep process last time. (perhaps because I needed more last time?!)

When I start thinking about what I need to do, I feel all scattered and overwhelmed, so I'm in need of a bit of a brain dump (and brain sift) in the form of easy, checkable, type-a lover, lists! (That's how my brain is structured....open up my skull and I swear there are a bunch of whiteboards just waiting for the swirly info to be linear-ized) ((yes, that's a word. now, anyway)). (((on to the lists)))

Small disclaimer before we start:

Because our kids will be close in age, and both girls, we're excited to have them share a room....but not quite yet. The littlest B. will be in our room for the first few weeks (or months) and then we'll have her move into the "guest" room...which will be known as "the baby's room" until she's able to sleep through the night (aka: by her first birthday). Because this is just a temporary home for her, I'm not going all out with nursery prep (I know....How I wish I had unlimited rooms and unlimited money to decorate those unlimited rooms...but alas...). We're pretty much throwing a crib in there, and calling it a day. We need to maintain a guest room (for anyone crazy enough to actually want to stay in a house with 2 under 2) so it'll be a hybrid for a little while, which I'm hopeful will work out well. It does mean I haven't gotten to spend endless hours on Pinterest dreaming of new nursery schemes...but don't worry...I fill that time with plenty of Real Housewife watching, and ice cream eating.

Hang new art in the baby's room. I'd love to update the frame wall with some more "kid themed" art...some quotes, some drawings of animals wearing shoes...you know: The essentials. (I say *need to do* loosely here...I realize the baby will survive without a customized art installation, but if it doesn't get done before she comes, it may never happen).

Set up the changing table (inclusive of: removing all that crazy breakable stuff from the dresser). We've decided we'll try only having a changing table in the baby's room. Piper doesn't require enough changes to warrant two, so we'll consolidate, leaving more room in Piper's room for....books? Toys? Items I want to keep out of her reach?

Ask someone to watch Piper when we have the baby before my parents arrive. Any takers?

Build Piper a dollhouse. Again, not a necessity, but I want her to have something special that's just hers when the baby comes and steals her thunder (and stuff..and attention...) We're pretty much just copying this one- it seems fairly simple, and I love the look. We already got the wood and it was only like $20. Now I'm bidding like a maniac on ebay for silly dollhouse furniture. (Apparently this is where my nesting instinct kicks in.)

Pull out all the newborn gear: pack & play bassinet, infant ergo insert, bouncy seat, etc. Basically- all this stuff.

Buy a few things...I've done INCREDIBLY well holding off on purchasing more things. Do I want more adorable teeny tiny clothes? Absolutely. Do I have the urge to shop just because I can? You betcha. But in all honesty, the last thing we need is more stuff (and less money!), so I've controlled it. I'm trying to make a short list of a few necessities we didn't know about the first time, to make Baby #2 a little easier. This unfortunately, does not include more adorable rompers....

Make a few things: (again...totally not necessary...but I don't want the second born to feel like second best...She needs a east a couple things that I poured my heart into). I'm obsessed with the idea of attempting this quilt, but if I can't pull that off (which is likely) I might settle for whipping up a few of these door jammers to keep things quiet around here.

Pack up my desk at work. We'll be moving offices while I'm on leave, so I need to box up everything so it's ready to roll when they are. (Have you seen my desk? This will be no small task.) I also need to pack up my office mini-fridge and get it ready for Pump-fest 2013. (catchy, no?)

Work on our organization strategies- or....come up with an organization strategy. If I have a home for things, I'm actually really good about picking up and putting them away. If not though? Things tend to form piles that grow exponentially by day. Our foyer is especially challenging, as it has turned into a dumping ground with shoes, coats, packages, bills and containers of bubbles (why so many bubbles?!) everywhere. I know the mountains of junk will only double with the second child, so having some more systems in place is a necessity.

Now that I see it all in writing, I'm torn between thinking it's too much, and worrying that I'm forgetting a lot. But mostly I'm thinking- "we will survive". If we have everything we need, and the house is immaculate- we'll survive. And if we don't prepare a thing, and the house stays in the semi-shambles we've known for years- we'll survive. I'm trying not to put too much pressure on myself to do everything perfectly this time around. I remembering that even if with a full registry of gear last time, we were still woefully unprepared for the actual task of raising another human. And we still are. And always will be.

But thankfully, the ticking time bomb that is my due date doesn't signify the expiration of all opportunity to prep. We have 24 hour drug stores, Super Targets, and grandmothers who are willing to empty the dishwasher for me. And more important than that? We have a God who will grant us unending grace as we continue to work on this whole parenting thing. And I'm pretty sure He'll give us a pass if we don't get that dollhouse done...----------So what do you think? Anything I'm forgetting (or rather...how many things am I forgetting?) Any other advice as we close in on the start of our two kid adventure?

7 comments
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I think its great that you are super level headed about what you don't need. So many people go overboard in this world of stuff, stuff, stuff. I can't help but think about back in the olden days how they used to prepare for a baby. Obviously times are different and we can't just knit up a few outfits, diapers, and blankets and call it a day, but nowadays it seems so easy to justify way more than what is necessary. You can get so wrapped up in what they "need" during the first year or so and forget how quickly they outgrow all of those things and then need all new things...for like, eighteen years or something ridiculous like that.

No advice to give here. Going one from to two is a transition like anything else. Two to three was easier. So you've got that to look forward to. ;) Jk. You guys will find your groove just like you did with Piper. It might take some time for all of you to hit a sweet spot, but when you find it...totally worth the work. Your family of four is going to be awesome.

Its hard for me to wrap my head around how to prep for #2, since my #1 is still teeny. But, it sounds like you've got a good list going! And a great perspective, although I think that the pictures of animals with shoes on MIGHT be a necessity... :)

Ha....It's hard to wrap my brain around it no matter what! Making the list is the only way I can keep myself from feeling like we're out of control! (and yes...I'm thinking those animals are crucial at this point.)

Easton was in our room for about 6 months and I got TIRED of sharing my room waiting for him to sleep through the night. Thankfully Broden was a good sleeper and if he did wake up when Easton cried, he went right back to sleep. I only wish I would have moved him sooner to sharing their room!

I’m Courtney- a loud-talking, big-dreaming kind of a girl with a creative streak I can't turn off, a wholly imperfect love for Jesus, and an overwhelming passion for authenticity. I'm superpumped you're here.